Controversies follow Ohio State-Michigan rivalry

A sheriff's deputy sprays pepper spray into the crowd gathered
beneath the goal post after Ohio State beat Michigan 14-9 for an
undefeated 13-0 season Nov. 23, 2002.

Associated Press | Mark Hall | File

By RUSTY MILLERAssociated Press

Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 11:00 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Both Ohio State's Jim Tressel and Michigan's Lloyd Carr did their first bit of coaching this week.

They instructed their players to not say anything negative about the other team on the eve of 104th meeting of the Buckeyes and Wolverines on Saturday at the Big House.

Idle talk has inflamed The Game in a history of controversies before, after and during the annual grudge match:

The Tie

No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan met in 1973 with both teams unbeaten (the Buckeyes in nine games, the Wolverines in 10). Michigan had outscored its opponents 320-58, Ohio State by a margin of 361-33. After an epic struggled, they ended up in a 10-10 tie.

In those days, only one Big Ten team got to go to a bowl, and the only bowl was the Rose. Since the teams ended up tied in the league standings, the Big Ten athletic directors met and voted who should represent the conference in Pasadena. Whether it was because Michigan quarterback Dennis Franklin broke his collarbone in the game, or because the Wolverines failed to win on their home field, Ohio State was the choice. The Buckeyes did go on to wallop Southern Cal 42-21 in the Rose Bowl to vindicate the choice.

Still on Nov. 13, 2006, just four days before dying of a heart attack, Michigan's coach in 1973, Bo Schembechler, remained angry about it.

"It was the greatest disappointment of my career. Everybody, including (Ohio State coach) Woody Hayes, congratulated me after the game and said, `Oh, you'll do a great job in the Rose Bowl' and all that," he said. "It was strictly a political thing. The whole thing upset me to no end. I think that team, that 1973 team, is the reason that we're (the Big Ten) playing in other bowls today."

Harbaugh's PRediCtion

Michigan had just sustained its first loss of the 1986 season the week before against Minnesota, prompting quarterback Jim Harbaugh to say, "I guarantee we will beat Ohio State and go to Pasadena."

Harbaugh expected Schembechler to be extremely angry.

"The way our leader, Bo Schembechler, handled it was genius," said Harbaugh, now Stanford's head coach. "He just came into the team meeting and I'm kind of expecting to get an earful. He said, `Well, at least I know our quarterback thinks we can win. Rally around him. Let's go to Columbus and beat the Buckeyes."'

And they did, 26-24, to earn a berth in the Rose Bowl.

Earle's exit

On Monday before the 1987 game, Ohio State president Ed Jennings fired coach Earle Bruce, a successful coach who was devoted to his alma mater but had never been truly embraced by the Buckeyes faithful.

In Ann Arbor that Saturday, Bruce saw his players were all wearing headbands that said `EARLE' thought, "I can't very well tell them to take them off."

The Buckeyes won 23-20

Fire Cooper

Michigan captain Walter Smith, a wide receiver who had not played all season because of an injury, was asked several days before the 1994 meeting with Ohio State why he wanted to win the game.

"We want to get Cooper fired," Smith said. "That's what I want to do. We want to keep on beating them and beating them until he's not there."

Cooper was 0-5-1 against Michigan to that point and was close to being run out of Columbus on a rail.

The No. 22 Buckeyes responded with a 22-6 win over the 15th-ranked Wolverines.

Michigan Nobody

Ohio State was ranked No. 2 in 1995 and had rolled to an 11-0 record.

Then the week of the game, wide receiver Terry Glenn told reporters, "Michigan is nobody."

The Buckeyes lost 31-23 to the nobodies in Ann Arbor.

Boston Massacre

Ohio State wide receiver David Boston, ironically, was from Humble, Texas.

Yet a few days before the fourth-ranked Buckeyes played at No. 1 Michigan in 1997, he said, "If our offense and defense are clicking, we should win by two or three touchdowns."

Led by Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, Michigan won 20-14 en route to a national title. A memorable photo from that game on the cover of Sports Illustrated showed Boston being upended on a big hit by safety Marcus Ray, who was from Columbus, Ohio.

What a riot!

After Ohio State intercepted a pass near the goal line on the final play of the 2002 game to preserve a 14-9 victory, the fans went wild. Police had to use pepper spray to keep the crowd away from the goalposts.

"Celebrating" the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes' victory, the crowd went on a violent spree that resulted in cars being overturned, couches being burned and trash set afire. More than 60 people were arrested and eight students were expelled. The party-turned-riot led to crackdowns on alcohol at games and a major public-relations push to stem violence beforehand.

<p>COLUMBUS, Ohio - Both Ohio State's Jim Tressel and Michigan's Lloyd Carr did their first bit of coaching this week.</p><p>They instructed their players to not say anything negative about the other team on the eve of 104th meeting of the Buckeyes and Wolverines on Saturday at the Big House.</p><p>Idle talk has inflamed The Game in a history of controversies before, after and during the annual grudge match:</p><p>The Tie</p><p>No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan met in 1973 with both teams unbeaten (the Buckeyes in nine games, the Wolverines in 10). Michigan had outscored its opponents 320-58, Ohio State by a margin of 361-33. After an epic struggled, they ended up in a 10-10 tie.</p><p>In those days, only one Big Ten team got to go to a bowl, and the only bowl was the Rose. Since the teams ended up tied in the league standings, the Big Ten athletic directors met and voted who should represent the conference in Pasadena. Whether it was because Michigan quarterback Dennis Franklin broke his collarbone in the game, or because the Wolverines failed to win on their home field, Ohio State was the choice. The Buckeyes did go on to wallop Southern Cal 42-21 in the Rose Bowl to vindicate the choice.</p><p>Still on Nov. 13, 2006, just four days before dying of a heart attack, Michigan's coach in 1973, Bo Schembechler, remained angry about it.</p><p>"It was the greatest disappointment of my career. Everybody, including (Ohio State coach) Woody Hayes, congratulated me after the game and said, `Oh, you'll do a great job in the Rose Bowl' and all that," he said. "It was strictly a political thing. The whole thing upset me to no end. I think that team, that 1973 team, is the reason that we're (the Big Ten) playing in other bowls today."</p><p>Harbaugh's PRediCtion</p><p>Michigan had just sustained its first loss of the 1986 season the week before against Minnesota, prompting quarterback Jim Harbaugh to say, "I guarantee we will beat Ohio State and go to Pasadena."</p><p>Harbaugh expected Schembechler to be extremely angry.</p><p>"The way our leader, Bo Schembechler, handled it was genius," said Harbaugh, now Stanford's head coach. "He just came into the team meeting and I'm kind of expecting to get an earful. He said, `Well, at least I know our quarterback thinks we can win. Rally around him. Let's go to Columbus and beat the Buckeyes."'</p><p>And they did, 26-24, to earn a berth in the Rose Bowl.</p><p>Earle's exit</p><p>On Monday before the 1987 game, Ohio State president Ed Jennings fired coach Earle Bruce, a successful coach who was devoted to his alma mater but had never been truly embraced by the Buckeyes faithful.</p><p>In Ann Arbor that Saturday, Bruce saw his players were all wearing headbands that said `EARLE' thought, "I can't very well tell them to take them off."</p><p>The Buckeyes won 23-20</p><p>Fire Cooper</p><p>Michigan captain Walter Smith, a wide receiver who had not played all season because of an injury, was asked several days before the 1994 meeting with Ohio State why he wanted to win the game.</p><p>"We want to get Cooper fired," Smith said. "That's what I want to do. We want to keep on beating them and beating them until he's not there."</p><p>Cooper was 0-5-1 against Michigan to that point and was close to being run out of Columbus on a rail.</p><p>The No. 22 Buckeyes responded with a 22-6 win over the 15th-ranked Wolverines.</p><p>Michigan Nobody</p><p>Ohio State was ranked No. 2 in 1995 and had rolled to an 11-0 record.</p><p>Then the week of the game, wide receiver Terry Glenn told reporters, "Michigan is nobody."</p><p>The Buckeyes lost 31-23 to the nobodies in Ann Arbor.</p><p>Boston Massacre</p><p>Ohio State wide receiver David Boston, ironically, was from Humble, Texas.</p><p>Yet a few days before the fourth-ranked Buckeyes played at No. 1 Michigan in 1997, he said, "If our offense and defense are clicking, we should win by two or three touchdowns."</p><p>Led by Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, Michigan won 20-14 en route to a national title. A memorable photo from that game on the cover of Sports Illustrated showed Boston being upended on a big hit by safety Marcus Ray, who was from Columbus, Ohio.</p><p>What a riot!</p><p>After Ohio State intercepted a pass near the goal line on the final play of the 2002 game to preserve a 14-9 victory, the fans went wild. Police had to use pepper spray to keep the crowd away from the goalposts.</p><p>"Celebrating" the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes' victory, the crowd went on a violent spree that resulted in cars being overturned, couches being burned and trash set afire. More than 60 people were arrested and eight students were expelled. The party-turned-riot led to crackdowns on alcohol at games and a major public-relations push to stem violence beforehand.</p>